Abstract : The December 1981 imposition of martial law in Poland and its lifting in 1983 have been indicative of the turmoil that has existed in Poland over the last few years. As the largest member geographically and demographically of the Warsaw Pact, the domestic unrest has placed the reliability of the Polish armed forces as Warsaw Pact members in question. This thesis concludes that the Polish armed forces can be considered reliable members of the Warsaw Pact in foreseeable circumstances, despite some qualifications. This conclusion is reached through a review of the postwar history of the Polish armed forces and an analysis of other pertinent factors, including the burden of governing and the economy's effect on the armed forces. Various other issues favoring and opposing reliability are also analyzed.